The young bankers received a glittering trophy and K1.5 million prize money.

The participating teams for the league were drawn from 18 districts, of the country for the title that started in 2009 as FMB League before the sponsors rebranded to First Capital Bank.

The league, whose aim is to unearth football talent across the country, is administered by the National Youth Football Association (NYFA) and started at K9 million sponsorship and steadily increased over the years to K30 million this year.

First Capital Bank Brands Manager Brian Mungomo Jnr expressed his satisfaction with the way NYFA is managing the league and promised that the bank is coming back bigger next year.

The colourful finals of the Under-20 league were patronised by top profile football and sports adminstrators such as Director in the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Timpuza Mwansambo, Malawi National Council of Sports Executive Secretary George Jana and Football Association of Malawi vice-president James Mwenda.

Mwenda observed that the league needs to be encouraged because it is improving the standard of national football while Mwansambo said government will always create a conducive environment for companies that promote sports in the country.

Saturday, was a day of celebration for the people of Dedza following a mixture of exciting activities that accompanied the finals.

Earlier in the day, the bank’s officials and staff went on a parade, displaying the league’s trophy to the keen and sheering residents.

Before that, First Capital Bank donated theatre monitors and lamps and other medical supplies worth K500,000 to Dedza District Hospital.

The gesture was commended by the hospital’s Human Resource Officer Kenneth Matola and Dedza District Commissioner Francis Matewere, who urged other companies to emulate the gesture by First Capital Bank.